Tahs have the attitude, now for the excellence

The Liberal National Party challenger for the seat of Nicklin in the Queensland state election had to effect a 16.3 per cent swing against the seated independent to be successful but, despite every effort, this was a bridge too far for former Reds and Wallabies coach
John Connolly
. Connolly managed a swing of about 10 per cent, which mirrored what happened around the state in a political landslide, but wasn’t enough for him.

It was typical Connolly to have a go at something no one thought he could achieve. In fact, when he was appointed coach of the Reds in 1989, he wasn’t even taken seriously enough to be considered a rank outsider. Time and again he surprised through a coaching philosophy founded on the tenets of ruthless attitude and technical precision, and this is what he used to construct some memorable, against-the-tide victories.

Unlike the landslide state election, the tightest of Super Rugby competitions continued over the weekend with most Australian teams falling on the right side of cliffhanger results. The exceptions were the Force, pipped by Australian rivals the Rebels, and the Reds, who succumbed to an ominous eight tries to one rampage from the Bulls, the final 61-8 scoreline resembling the seat tally in the election.

In happier results, the Brumbies continued their impressive run under Jake White, downing the previously undefeated Highlanders, and the Waratahs put in a performance for the ages with a 34-30 win over the Sharks.

Much can be made of the Waratahs’ exciting victory as, while it may not have been as unlikely as a 17-point swing, to some it proffered a 180-degree turnaround in attitude and execution.

The foundation stone for entertaining rugby is attitude and the next brick is excellence, excellence at the routine, for it is the basics which deliver continuity and mundane errors which are the foe of flow.

Despite what was hopefully an aberration against the Bulls, the Reds are a perfect illustration of just that as they have built their reputation on entertaining results.

This wasn’t actually a journey which began under
Ewen McKenzie
, as previous coach Phil Mooney had an attacking mandate and assembled some of the key players to deliver on the promise, but it was honed under his astute tutelage, for he understood that to capitalise on the upside, you must first manage the downside.

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Previously, the Reds had an attacking philosophy and showed glimpses of brilliance but were error-ridden; last season they combined basics with brilliance.

Of course, as it is a subjective matter, there will be conjecture as to what exactly comprises “entertainment” and what does not. Entertaining rugby for mine, however, is not about the scoreline or the number of tries but how smartly a team plays the game. That’s what rings the bells, and the turnstiles. And the smart way to play will vary. Sometimes it will be through taking on the physical confrontation through mauling, sometimes through taking it wide, all the time through excellent execution as teams take their supporters on a journey with them, educating them along the way.

The most successful Brumbies teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s understood this and they understood that sometimes it’s opposites which create the opportunity, the unfashionable which delivers the fashionable.

Among their team of stars was the often ungainly but always effective Owen Finegan. He was an agitator but a smart and belligerent one who constantly annoyed the opposition, distracting them to facilitate the passage for the likes of
George Gregan
and
Stephen Larkham
to cast their spell.

In the Finegan role for the Waratahs is Tom Carter. Only reinstated to the team this week, he always makes a difference. When they need someone to muscle up, he’s the one. He’s forever geeing up his own team while bristling the opposition. He’s combative and constructive, backing his talk with action and not asking anything of his team which he is not prepared to do himself. He also provides the foil for the likes of
Berrick Barnes
and those around him to be creative. In the Waratahs mix, his role is vital.

I don’t expect there to be a clear top six going into the final rounds this year. Not unless the tone of this competition changes dramatically, as it seems any team can beat another on its day. By that token, any team that can secure a run of victories, no matter how, will put themselves in a box seat for a playoff. To fight for that playoff berth, the Waratahs must lead through the clinical execution and offensive mindset which delivered their breakthrough victory.

But that is just the start, as for both them and the LNP in Queensland, after riding a wave of sentiment for change, the real work starts now.